Budget time routine

February 9, 2014

It must be budget time again because all you'll hear about over the next few months is about how the state has a deficit and how the state needs pension reform. Every year it's the same thing but the politicians never seem to cut their spending? The state anticipates having a $1 billion budget deficit, but they continue to give money away.

How can the state be in debt? I believe we are the second largest state in gambling income, we have the lottery for the elderly, we have the liquor stores that bring in money every year, a newly passed gas tax for transportation and gas drilling. As taxpayers, we should be getting money back from the state with all the income that is coming in. Maybe it's the people in Harrisburg that can't control their spending.

Now that it's election time though, watch how money starts to flow out of Harrisburg again, but remember, there's a budget crisis.

Regarding the pension reform, why don't the local legislators sponsor a bill to change their pension or get rid of state legislator's pensions all together? If legislators' pensions were eliminated, watch how many career politicians leave office. When legislators step up to the plate and reform their pension first, then start talking about reforming teachers and state employee's pensions. In 2010, pension reform was done to reduce the gap in pension funding. If it wasn't a good bill then, why did it pass? Stop blaming teachers and state employees. They did not create this pension crisis, it was created by politicians.

Why should legislators get benefits or a pension when they leave office anyway when the job was only supposed to be a part-time job? When did this change that legislators became a full-time job? How does our state compare to other states? It used to be when you ran for office, you ran as a service to your community to help improve the quality of life. When you served your time you went back to your previous job. It was not meant to be a career with lifetime benefits.